Process of chloridizing ores.



PATBNTED DEC. 10, 1907.

J. E. GREENAWALT.

PROCESS OF GHLORIDIZING ORBS.

2 sums-sum 1.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

wimmw v. QM

PATENTE'D DEC. 10, 190';

J. E. GREENAWALT. PROCESS OF GHLORIDIZING ORES;

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN EJGREENAWALT, DENVER, COLORADO.

PRocEss or eKLomniznirG onus.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN E. GREENA-WALT, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and useful Process of Chloridizing Ores; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference eiiig had to the accompanying drawings, and to the'letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this,

specification.

My invention relates to a process of chloridizing ores and its object is the treatment of ores when in a heated condition, by the use of chlorin gas in such a manner as to prevent a loss resulting from the volatilization of the metallic values. silver and copper ores, perceptible losses of this character very rarely occur. If, however, salt (chlorid of sodium) is added to cl'iloridize the silver etc., a considerable loss generally occurs, not only of the silver and copper but also of the gold. When an ore is roasted with salt, the first chlorin released, acts upon the baser elements in the ore, and it is only after free chlorin is released from the ore, that the metals volatilize to any great extent. In carrying out the invention,

I add a small amount of salt generally from one-half of one per cent, to one per cent., to the ore either in the roasting furnace 9r just before passing the ore into the OhlOI'IdlZll'lg tank or chamber. In the chloridizing tank, the ore while hot, is subjected to a stream of chlorin gas which chloridizes the valuable metals, thus converting them into soluble ehlorids.

Suitable apparatus for practicing my improved process will now be described, though it must be understood that nothing is claimed on the apparatus in this specification, the same being covered by an application filed March 27th, 1905, Serial No; 252,108.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the chloridiziiig tank and condensing chamber. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the of the chloridizing tank and the operating Specification of LettersjPatent.

Application filed March 2'7. 1905. Serial No. 252.109.

In oxidizing roasting gold,

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

mechanism employed in connection therewith. In this view the upper part of the tank is broken away.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

The chloridizing tank consists preferably of an outer shell 1 of sheet steel closed on top and connected with the pipe 3 through a gate valve 4. The upper portion of the tank is lined with brick 5 in order to retain the-heat of the ore until the chlorin gas has acted upon it. In the lower central'portion of the tank is a cooling chamber whereby the ore is cooled and the volatile fumes from the upper portion, of the ore condensed to a very great extent. This cooling device consists of a cylindrical water tight shell 6 with a pipe 7 at the bottom-for supplying the same' with water; and an escape pipe 8 at the top for the discharge of'the hot water and steam formed. The weight of the cooling chamber and ore above it, is supported by'hc'avy steel I-beams 9. About fourteen inches below these beams is a horizontal floor 11) with a circular hole 11 in the center. Through this hole passes a vertical shaft 12 provided at its upper extremity with a projecting arm 13. This shaft together with its arm is given a rotary motion from a shaft 15 by means of the bevel gears 14:. The shaft 15 may be operated from any suitable source of power. clined partition 16 located below the opening 11 forms a chute to guide the ore into the screw conveyor 17, where it is properly moistened by water supplied by a pipe 18. The screw conveyor discharges the ore from a trough A into a receiving car B. The conveyer shaft C is connected in operative relation with the shaft 15 by means of gearing D.

Inoperation the hot ore is brought from An inthe roasting furnace by a car and discharged I constantly and continuously removed at the bottom by the agitating or stirring arm 13.

When the arm 13 is at rest, the angle with the floor 10 formed by the ore around the opening 11, is such that it remains at rest until the movement of the arm withdraws it and delivers it to the chute 16. In this way the ore body is constantly lowered without channeling, and passes downwardly through the tank slowly and at'the same rate that it is being withdrawn at the bottom. The chlorin or its equivalent, is introduced through the pipe 20. When the valve 4 in the pipe 3 is closed, the entire upper portion of the tank is gas tight; and a pressure of a few pounds is sufficient under most conditions to cause the gas to permeate the entire mass of hot ore and percolate downwardly through the ore in the chloridizing tank or chamber. In this manner thechlorin gas actsupon the hot ore, chloridizing the silver and the other chloridizable substances contained in the ore. ert gases thatmay be mixed with the chlorin or the surplus, can escape from the tank, they must percolate through the cooling zone or lower portion of the ore surrounding the water cooled shell 6, where the temperature of the volatilized fumes is reduced sufliciently to cause precipitation to a'considerable extent. The escaping gases and steam caused by moistening the ore in the screw conveyer, are passed into the condensing chamber E, whereby the remaining values contained in the gases are completely precipitated. While prefer the use of chlorin gas generated electrolytically, for. this purpose, it is evident that hydro-chloric acid or such other gas as sulfuric gas when the ore contains ,.ed bya port G.

salt, would answerthe purpose. 'The pres,- 'ence of air in the gas current also aids the chloridization of the ore. In order to make the. chloridizing operation continuous, I have provided a vent or escape passage for the unconsumed 'or inert gases.

The lower part of the condensing chamber E is provided with compartments F connect- These chambers communicate with the upper part of the chamber which is filled with checker work G. Above this checker work perforated pipes H are located and supply the chamber with the necessary water for condensing purposes. The waste gases which are not condensed in the chamber E, escape at the top of the chamber through a conduit I. a In Fig. 1 of the drawing the ore in the chloridizing tank is indicated and designated by the letter J. The arrows in this view in- However, before the inletter K.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The herein-described chloridizing process which consists in introducing the heated ore into a chloridizing chamber, assing the ore through said chamber and into and through a cooling zone, and simultaneously passing a stream of chloridizing gas through the ore. v I 2.- A chloridizing process which consists of chloridizingthe ore by means of sodium chlorid by heating in a suitable furnace and then introducing the ore while still in the heated condition into a closed chamber and finally passing a stream of chloridizing gas through the ore.

3. A'chloridizing process which consists of partly chloridizing the ore by means of heat and sodium chlorid, in a roasting chamber .and then introducing the ore into a closed cooling chamber and simultaneously passing a stream of chloridizing gas through the ore while the ore is passing through the cooling chamber.

4. A chloridizing process which consists of partly chloridizing the ore by means of heat and sodium chlorid in a roasting chamber, and then introducing the ore into a closed cooling chamber-and simultaneously passing a stream of chloridizing gas through the ore while the ore is passing through the cooling chamber, and finally passing the resultant gas into a condensing chamber.

5. An ore chloridizing process which consists in introducing the hot roasted ore into a chloridizing chamber, subjecting the ore when in a heated condition to a chloridizing gas, passing the ore through a cooling zone and finally passing the surplus or resultant gas into a condensing chamber.

6. An ore chloridizing process which consists in introducing the hot roasted ore into a chloridizing chamber in which the ore is passed through a cooling zone, passing through it a chloridizinggas andthen passing the surplus or resultant gas into a condensing or precipitatin chamber.

In testimony whereo I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. GREENAWALT.

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN. 

